It took quite a while for me to notice that some posters here not only never rec an OP,

[Atticus]

they don't seem to ever respond to one in a positive way.

Snark and sarcasm, yes. But, no "Well saids" or "I agrees" or even a "👍".

One of those things that make you say "Hmmm".

[unblock]

1. Well said. I agree. K&r

[hlthe2b]

2. Interesting observation. There are a few, for sure.

[Haggard Celine]

3. Ignore the snarky ones.

I don't mean put them on ignore, just don't pay them any mind. If someone never has anything positive to contribute, they're trolls or they're just clowns. MIRT will eventually deal with them.

[Tree-Hugger]

4. Positively well said.

I do agree.

[Scrivener7]

5. I try to strike a fine balance. I just recced and responded positively to another post, so...

THIS IS TOTAL BULLSHIT!

[IrishAfricanAmerican]

22. 😂

[SWBTATTReg]

6. Yes. You have made an excellent observation. I think personally that some do ...

deride, mock, etc. because it's their nature (they can't do it in their own lives because there is no one else in their orbits any longer, they've driven them all away (friends, family, etc.)).

I told a DU member the other day that he had mocked / made fun of at least 3 different DU postings (same topic) without allowing anyone hassle-free and open discussions, even though in his own words, he didn't want to discourage conversations. When I pointed this fact out, he did, to give him credit admitted this. Don't criticize others on DU too much, DU is a, for the the most part, a refuge for many of us to go to, to enjoin reading about our topics of choice, to enjoy such topics, and read about other topics, but mocking others?
Don't please.

I suspect some people will always be this way (mock, deride, etc.) and I guess it's to be expected, being that there are over 250K registered DU members (and uncounted numbers of non-paid members). So we must be on watch, let the MIRT team work their magic, and jump to the defense of other DU members when need be.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

64. Those mocking

Snarky jerks would do better snarking seditionists.

They have misdirected anger .

[DontBelieveEastisEas]

7. I am not a 'YES Man'

I don't post often, but when I do, it is to add something more than a comment like, '"I agree".
I think such posts just clutter the landscape.

[Disaffected]

23. +1

Actually I do agree.

[Locutusofborg]

25. Me too

If you need the comfort of a rec on an online forum from an anonymous user name you should work on your self-esteem.

[GoodRaisin]

31. That's kind of what recs are for.

[SunImp]

88. +1

Democrats can think for themselves and don't have to always agree with one another like loyal clowns. Republicans on the other hand are nothing, but brainded YES men who want the party to think one single way all the time.

[hunter]

8. I figure I'm about fifty percent in my "positive way" responses here.

I'm a radical environmentalist. Got some formal training in that. My university certified I could do the hard math.

Not certain, decades later, I still can. My German and English are equally rusty.

Hunter is seriously misanthropic. Fuck you, humanity, in general. You deserve everything that's coming to you.

May the uber-wealthy of all continents be eaten first.

Into the shredder feet first, slow setting. Making compost.

In more reasoned moments my politics are fully practical, sometimes painfully so, but still "left" of the DU mainstream.

[PurgedVoter]

40. LOL, tell us how you really feel.

I was raised by one of the first environmentalists. A Professor of Ichthyology. So I suspect we see eye to eye on a lot of things. I still love humanity, but there are days when I root for natural selection to select a bit faster.

[LizBeth]

9. hmmmm. lol

[TheBlackAdder]

10. Look further and you'll also notice that certain accounts also comment in pairs or threes.

.

I kept track of a few last year and there is a pattern to how a lot of OPs are commented on by others.

.

[PurgedVoter]

41. I have noticed this as well.

Often a good topic immediately gets an offensive argument by a small group of people that always seem to comment on discussions about energy, pesticides or any other topic that large companies don't want discussed. Usually the argument has nothing to do with the topic if you drill down and examine it.
The same names are there and while they will turn around and post positively in some social rights discussions, they are never social rights that discuss environment.

[lunatica]

11. Well I rec'd and kicked this one.

And yes, it is a hmmmm thing.

[Indykatie]

12. We Also Have Too Many Who Don't Bother to Give $5 to Support the Site But then Complain About Ads

DU can't control which ads run on the site which means you'll find NRA or GOP ads from time to time.

[Kaleva]

17. I donate 5 bucks a month. great way to build up hearts!

[Towlie]

13. It must have been a huge, time-consuming task to determine that. Did you use a spreadsheet?

 
←

[Treefrog]

35. Lol, I wondered that same thing.

Some seem hugely invested in this place judging by how much time they obviously spend here. To each their own. As I said in an earlier post, I was not even aware that one could learn something like that! Well, now I know.

[Niagara]

14. I can name a several of them right off the top of my head.

I don't have them on ignore, but I generally don't respond to them. They add nothing of value to the conversation and only come here to disrupt.



They're typically the same one's that don't send a word of encouragement if another DUer if they're in need of well wishes, thoughts, prayers, positive or healing vibes. I realize that we can't get to everyone who needs encouragement, but there are those who never send a kind word, ever.

[PortTack]

28. Exactly! I think it's human nature.

I really like to encourage OPs and commenters with positive when I agree. If I don’t agree it does nothing to be nasty. If I can counter with facts I will, sometimes i just scroll on by since it’s just to negative or snarky and I don’t care to be drawn in

[Kaleva]

15. edited. my question was answered by a later post

[spanone]

16. snarkolopsy

[Polly Hennessey]

19. I pawsitivily agree and remain both

purrectly snarky and “atta boy/girl” responsive. 😇🥰😂😜

[Buckeye_Democrat]

20. I've noticed it too.

Some people here may just never do it, even when they're clearly pro-Democratic, and I rarely look at their profiles anyway.

But it's interesting when I suspect a poster isn't actually a Democrat or liberal, and their profiles never show recommendations. Hmmm, indeed.

[48656c6c6f20]

21. I agree!

No I don't. But if you're troll hunting, good hunting.

[3catwoman3]

24. No matter the topic, there are always some...

...”Debbie Downers.”

If there are posts that annoy or even horrify me, I just shrug, perhaps grumble a few obscenities to myself, shrug and move on. I’ve never put anyone on ignore, reported a post, or made a snarky/rude response to someone. Rather like I am in real life - non-confrontational and definitely afflicted with an assertiveness deficit.

[Progressive Jones]

26. This sounds divisive. nt

[Treefrog]

27. Well, I can say I learned something from this post.

I had no idea you could look up how many recs a poster had given! I can’t imagine that I’d care, but thanks for the education!

[FakeNoose]

73. You can also see the list of posts that you have "recced"

Go to My Profile (on top) and you can see the tabs called Journal - Profile - Recs - Send DU Mail - Ignore - RSS Feed.

Journal shows every one of your posts that you've added to your journal. (Some DUers have none, while others have hundreds)

Profile shows things about you that others can see.

Recs shows a listing of every article that you have recommended - I use that list to help me find something later. (It's not the same thing as Bookmarks)

Send DU Mail is for sending or receiving private messages

Ignore is the list of every DUer that you are currently ignoring

RSS Feed I never use that so I'm not sure what it's for

[sarisataka]

29. I do not now nor have I ever

Lived under a bridge.

I have spent time in caves and holes.

[malaise]

30. Nicely put

[GoodRaisin]

32. I think what's funny is the posters who rec their own OP.

As far as recs go I think if someone is willing to take the time to share something with us that I think is worthwhile it's nice to recognize it so I try to remember to rec it.

[Justice matters.]

33. Too many OPs & not enough time (for me) to read 'em all.

So I try to maximize my part-time DUing for those that interest me the most.

As for the negative responses or snarks, I mostly just skim over them (and sometimes).

[DFW]

36. Pretty much my situation, too

Though sometimes a post strikes such a note with me that I actually remember to do something about it.

[LuvLoogie]

34. Don't Queeg out on us, Atticus!

Pour yourself a nice snort.

[TheProle]

37. While positive reinforcement is fine,

I’m not really interested in being part of an echo chamber of dittoheads.

Let the right sacrifice nuance on the altar of partisanship.

[Captain Zero]

38. That's it, maybe we need a DITTO button to click on.

nt

[Renew Deal]

39. Your concern is noted

[Mosby]

76. Seriously though, why don't you rec anything?

You've been here since 2003.

Just curious.

[Renew Deal]

77. It has to be worthy

I'm actually surprised how little I rec. I generally don't rec anything with 100+ recs because it doesn't need it. I also don't rec bandwagon and cheerleading stuff. For me, it has to be unique or interesting.

[Mosby]

87. I like to rec OPs than need the kick

I agree with you about the bandwagon posts, and some of the cheerleading stuff, but sometimes DU is the perfect place for cheerleading, imo.

[WarGamer]

42. In my short time here...

I've noticed one poster who posts a story with a link to the source of the story, which is his own website...

NEVER responds to posts in his thread...

[ms liberty]

44. Everyone has their own way of using DU. It's not necessarily a cause for hmming

Some people are only talky on occasion. Some people are busy and check in to read and keep informed but aren't into interacting. Some people are trolls looking to stir things up. Some people are negative people and are never going ro say positive things about anything.
Some people want to win the snark game...and honestly, you know how snarky this place has always been and you know we mastered it long ago, lol. It's one of the reasons I joined, back in 03. All the smartasses. You gotta laugh at the bs or it will give you a heart attack and kill you.
There are a lot of things I see here that make me go hmmm, but I'm not sure I would classify it exactly as you have.

[SunImp]

45. Many of these posters also seem to get away with making antagonizing posts in order to goad

people into a fight. These people really should just ignore the thread or post if they don't like the content instead of replying like an animal.

[Generic Brad]

46. We're supposed to rec OPs?

I don't smash the thumbs up button on YouTube either. Rating or promoting things just don't appeal to me.

And I am not saying this out of sarcasm. It is more bewilderment on my part that the Rec button is even a thing.

[JudyM]

47. Not "supposed to" but it can be helpful from a community standpoint.

Some of us like to scan the Greatest page as a quick ride through the best ideas or most meaningful shares being discussed across the site.

[Generic Brad]

50. DU. I'm doing it wrong!

Egads!

[JudyM]

58. Ha. No.

[Renew Deal]

78. I think it works itself out

Some people are tough graders while others are easy. Generally, the most popular items float to the top.

[JudyM]

85. Ha, "tough graders"

[lindysalsagal]

82. The recs are a quick estimate of the value of a post: I use it to glance through the top page and se

see what's hot. If it's not an issue I want to discuss, I move on. Also, if it's already got 80 replies and it's an old topic, I move on.

[GulfCoast66]

48. I've been here over 5 years. Over 10,000 posts. Never given a Rec.

I keep returning to DU to read the thoughts of liberals of all types, many who may strongly disagree with my views, but still support the Democratic Party. I seldom post OPs but have not once’s looked to see if it’s been recommended. Don’t really know how.

I’ve never seen DU as a place for opinion validation. The opposite, in fact. I see it a place to have my views challenged.

[Treefrog]

49. Let me be the first to rec this post lol.

And well said!

[Raine]

53. I'll rec you too and give you a 👍! 🙂 nt

[GulfCoast66]

54. So how do I rec a post? Not that I'm going to. But I guess it's a thing.

Is that the little ‘Like” thing at the bottom of the post?

[Raine]

56. You can only recommend the original post, at the bottom of it on the left

there's a place to click. It will show the number of recommends the post had gotten.

[GulfCoast66]

57. Ok got it. Still not going to do it.

Feels to ‘fan clubby’ to me. Perhaps why I don’t do any social media except DU.


If I have a comment I will post it. If I don’t post I probably agree or don’t feel like wading in.

But the wife says I’ve always been a curmudgeon.

[Raine]

62. I'm not really into it either

I don't post on Facebook or Reddit because I don't want to get caught up in the "likes", too much like a popularity. contest.

[Tree Lady]

74. I rarely rec I just don't think about it

I don't see this forum needing likes like FB. I came here in 2004 to learn about politics, issues and to meet like minded people. I seldom start a thread I mostly read.

[ShazzieB]

51. Tbh, I was hanging out here for quite a while before I realized wit that button was for.

I still don't always rec everything I agree with. It's that what we're supposed to do?

I mostly rec things that stand out to me for some reason. If that's a faux pas, I sincerely apologize.

[Raine]

52. Often I get so involved in reading the post itself

and the responses the I forget to recommend.

[Carlitos Brigante]

55. This was not well said and I don't

agree......

[a kennedy]

59. Um....I don't see the rec button on topics.......or I would do it more often.

Weird, I don’t see it.

[JudyM]

60. Bottom left of every OP

Little box says “DU Rec”… you tap it, the number goes up one.

[betsuni]

61. I'm really glad the fad here of killing the messenger instead of actually discussing the topic

is pretty much over.

An article about what a politician said, with direct quotes, (not an opinion piece) attacked as right-wing, mainstream corporate media conglomerate. Half the comments of a thread about the source, completely ignoring the topic.

Something from The Washington Post, a rant about evil billionaire Jeff Bezos as if he edits every article personally. A tweet, the person attacked as conservative or formerly Republican or a spouse or relative or their dog is Republican, and if you posted it you must be too, or old tweets dug up to attack their character (but if someone they like lies and says horrible things about Democrats last year that's "ancient history" ).

Trolls tried hard to accuse supporters of the Democratic Party on DU of being wealthy old elitist conservatives who aren't progressives and the real trolls. The myth that the base of the Democratic Party are people who hate the party because Democrats have the same economic policies as Republicans and are all corrupt and ignore the working class. Nutty! Glad it's over. Until next election season. Justice Democrats do that every day, though, of course.

On the other hand, sources that actually do distort and promote misinformation should be called out, and the mainstream media is hopelessly inept at reporting on Republicans who are hell bend on destroying this country.

[Caliman73]

63. Such is the nature of relatively anonymous forums.

You will get all kinds of responses from all sorts of people or ... non people.

There are some posters here that I typically agree with, respect their ability to communicate, I will chime in and agree with their posts. Some that I tend to disagree with but respect their ability to communicate their points. I tend to ask clarifying questions or pose challenges there. Some I rarely interact with because it would be a waste of time. I don't think I have ever put anyone on ignore, or trashed a thread. If I see a post I think is pointless, I do not interact with it.

[Voltaire2]

65. many if not most ops don't deserver recs or anything other than snark

They aint all precious gems. Case in point.

[bluedigger]

66. How does one even track that?

I can see noticing particularly snarky replies from people, but how does one know if they ever give a rec? How many recs have I given? In any case, I don't have time to worry about other DUers behavior. Priorities.

[DiamondShark]

67. Why was this posted in General, and not the Lounge?

Someone with 10k posts, and yet no replies in your own OP, one wonders if you are engaged with your responders.

Odd that you can't even +1 and agree with posters responding to your own OP.

[forthemiddle]

68. I come here for discussion

I am not a me too poster, mainly because someone else generally says what I think, usually much better than I could. So when I do post it’s because I feel I can add something to the conversation.
I find it frustrating to go to a thread that has multiple responses only to find more than half are one word answers, or + signs.
I also don’t think that most people need a pat on the back for there posts.
Just my opinion....

[Goodheart]

69. Somebody needs a hug?

I reckon that some very friendly and cooperative people don't perceive and use democraticunderground in quite the same way you do. Others need attaboys, and that's fine, too. Different strokes for different folks.

[Renew Deal]

81. It balances out those that rec everything.

You have almost 350 recs in the last 90 days. Doesn't that mean that a rec from me is more meaningful than a rec from you?

[Goodheart]

84. Is that a built-in function? Nobody told me about it.

I use the Like button on YouTube.

This entire thread reeks of a witch hunt.

[FakeNoose]

70. The difference between desktop computer and cellphone/tablet users

Recently I stayed overnight at my sister's house and had to leave my trusty desktop behind at home. While visiting my sibling I tried staying in touch with DU through my cellphone, and it's just not the same. Not the same at all. On my phone I have no mouse or keyboard so it's very difficult to reply to anything, and damn near impossible to create a post. It is possible to rec someone else's post, but only with a degree of effort. Posting a photo or gif ... well forget it, it ain't happening.

After 2 days of doing that on my cellphone, I can see why so many DUers are passive. It's not fun and rarely worth the effort to respond when you're on something other than a desktop computer. I did try to post a one-sentence reply to someone, but so many typo's later I finally abandoned the attempt. It's no fun on a cellphone.

[Ellipsis]

71. True... at the same time I'm often surprised at the compassion of some members.

[BlueWavePsych]

72. Likely Repuke spies.

[Renew Deal]

79. Spies? DU is open to the internet.

[BlueWavePsych]

86. Let me rephrase that, likely Repuke trolls in disguise.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

80. Or Democrats who just don't rec threads,

like me, I rarely rec a thread, I see no point in it as there usually are numerous rec's already.

[Iggo]

83. Yeesh.